Abravanel Hall

Abravanel Hall first opened in September 1979, and was originally known as Symphony Hall, but was renamed in May 1993 for Maurice Abravanel, conductor of the Utah Symphony. The building was designed by FFKR Architects and acoustical design services were provided by Dr. Cyril M. Harris with the outcome of creating an environment of acoustic excellence. The hall is rectangular in shape, similar to some of the world’s finest symphony halls. Suspended from the ceiling are six brass chandeliers with 18,000 hand-cut beads and prisms of Bohemian crystals imported from Austria and Czechoslovakia. The lobby is four stories high with a white oak and brass ceiling and a glass wall covering the East face of the lobby. The lobby itself is an architectural marvel due to its many tiers, the staircase that goes upwards with gold leafing that covers all visible sides of the stairs and balconies, and the 30-foot-high Olympic Tower red blown-glass sculpture by renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly.